The new 41,000 SF Acadiana Crime Lab was constructed on a five-acre greenfield site in New Iberia, Louisiana. Designed to replace the aging Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory, the $26 million facility had been envisioned for over 35 years and marked a major milestone for the region’s law enforcement and forensic communities.
The building features modern laboratory and evidence processing spaces, dedicated offices, a vehicle inspection bay, secure evidence storage, and a gun range. With 14,000 SF of lab-specific space and the infrastructure to support future expansion, the new facility aimed to significantly enhance operational capacity and efficiency.
The centralized location was chosen to reduce transportation time and improve accessibility. With the existing lab in a state of disrepair and contributing to case backlogs, the new facility offered much-needed relief and modernization. The expanded space and updated technology also allowed the potential to add criminal analysts, increasing case capacity and improving the speed and accuracy of forensic casework.